When do Koi start to breed?

How old do the Koi have to be before they spawn....or breed? We've had ours for a little over a month and we now have a minimum of 17 babies....we have three 5-6" koi and two 4" koi.... -Tonya Koi start to breed when they are usually 2 years old and over a foot long. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

I bought a lot of Japanese Koi for 1 year but they haven't born any babies. Why? How can I do to get fish babies? -Ei Ei Khine

Are you sure that they are old enough to even breed yet? Koi usually start breeding when they are at least 2 years old and over 1 foot long. The urge to spawn is usually triggered in the spring, with the rising temperature of the water. They also need a place to spawn, usually a thicket of plant material. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Do Koi mate with goldfish? Is it possible for my goldfish to spawn twice in two weeks? -Lynn

Koi will breed with goldfish. Usually the offspring look half goldfish/half Koi, with muddy colors. I'm not sure how often goldfish will breed, here's the wikipedia article on it: Goldfish, like all cyprinids, lay eggs. They produce adhesive eggs that attach to aquatic vegetation. The eggs hatch within 48 to 72 hours, releasing fry large enough to be described as appearing like "an eyelash with two eyeballs". Within a week or so, the fry begin to look more like a goldfish in shape, although it can take as much as a year before they develop a mature goldfish color; until then they are a metallic brown like their wild ancestors. In their first weeks of existence, the fry grow remarkably fast - an adaptation born of the high risk of getting devoured by the adult goldfish (or other fish and insects) in their environment. Goldfish can only grow to sexual maturity if given enough water and the right nutrition. However if kept well, they may breed indoors. Breeding usually happens after a significant change in temperature, often in spring. Eggs should then be separated into another tank, as the parents will likely eat any of their young that they happen upon. Dense plants such as Cabomba or Elodea or a spawning mop are used to catch the eggs. Most goldfish can and will breed if left to themselves, particularly in pond settings. Males chase the females around, bumping and nudging them in order to prompt the females to release her eggs, which the males then fertilize. Due to the strange shapes of some extreme modern bred goldfish, certain types can no longer breed among themselves. In these cases, a method of artificial breeding is used called "hand stripping". This method keeps the breed going, but can be dangerous and harmful to the fish if not done correctly. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

A friend would like to breed Koi carp, could he do it? -Barbara

Anybody can breed Koi. Although, not many people know how to cull, combine breeding pairs, ect. If your friend is serious about breeding Koi, tell him to get in contact with a local domestic breeder. He might be able to volunteer his time and learn how to successfully breed Koi. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit